Lasting and sewing machine



June 16, 1925. y 1,541,850

' F. RlcKs E T A1. l

LASTING AND SEWING MACHINE Filed Dec, l, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1 y A /Q/June 1'6, 1925. 1,541,850

' F. RlcKs ET AL.

LAsTmG AND SEWING MACHINE y Filed vec. 1, 1921 2 sheets-sheet 2 IWVM/70H5 UNITE-D ySTATESgPAT-E'NT OFFICE- rnnn aioKsANn rinomato BOYDWooncooii, or Lmonsfrnn, emanano, assieivoas iro UNITED siren MACHINERYconsoli-arios. retranscrit, New annees, `AconronA'rIoN t or NEW JERSEY.

LAS'IVING `lll/LftCHINE.

.Application filed December 1, 1921. Serial No. 513,162.

To all whom t may Concern.:

Be .it known t-hat ive, Flinn Rions and RiieiNnLii iBoirii Woonoooi,subgects of the King oflilngland, lresiding at Leicester,

Leicestershire, England, have invented certain Improvements in Lastingand Sewingl ilflachines, ofwhich the following descrip# tion, inconnection with the accompanyingv cants, Fred Ricks This machinecomprises lockstitching instrumentalities, an upper stretching gripperoperating in timed relation to said instrnmentalities, shoe positioningmeans to grip the margin of the sole, and other means hereinafterrefei'red to as ,auxiliary positioning` ,means to engage the shoebottonifarther from the operating point.

In the use Iof a machine of tliisltype we have observed that While it isconvei'iientyto causethe auxiliary positioning means, when in actiointomove to andfrom the shoe bot- -toni so as to rise clear from the shoebottom .in each cycle of operations, and thus give the operator `freedomto manipulate the shoe and avoid constraint on the feed, it isneverthelessLk desirable that the said means should move. only a short`distance from the shoe bottoni, since if the movement is much it becomespossible for the operatorio tilt the shoe considerably iipwaicl-iiiliichadds unnecessarily-to the corrective action called `for from thepositioning means and, having regard to tlieshort time available, tendsto cause the said positioning rmeans to act in a relatively violentmanner on tlieshoe with consequent liabilityto discomfort totheoperator-and `displacement ofthe Work.

rl`lie highest position to which itis desirable to raise the `auxiliarypositioning means whenin action is, however, such that if said meansoccupiesrthat position when it is` oiitof operation it is apt toconstitute a ,distinct obstruction when stitching is being performed inthe shankof the shoe, a

part of the shoe which customarily does not require the use of theauxiliary positioning Ameans but which, owing to its shape andproportions, does usually require that the operator shall havecoiisiderable latitudeA for tipping the shoe in the course of stitching.lt is an object of the inventionto provideauxiliary positioning meanswhich ivill conform ,fully with these requirements.

In machines of the type in question it is customary to provide a lineelever control `for putting the gripper into or out 0faction `and forvarying the pulling action thereof such as is disclosed in BritishPatent No. 22110 ,of 1913. The provision of an additional manualcontro-ller for the aux- .iliary positioning means as aforesaid imposes,we have found, an inconvenient additional burden upon the operatoralready .busied with control of the operation of the machine by thecustomary clutch treadle and the knee-lever as aforesaid.

. We have, however, ascertained, that the operator requiresteither thatthe gripper be acting with a. relatively limited pulling action with`the auxiliary positioning Vmeans out of action (a condition of affairsprevailing. When stitching the sides of the shoe at the shank) ortha'tlhe requires the auxiliary positioning means to be in action withthe gripper mechanism `giving either the 4limitedpull referred toor, amore extended pull, and it is accordingly a further object of thisinvention to take advantage of these ascertained requisites inoperatioiito reduce the number of controls calling for the operatorsattention during operation on a shoe when the machine is equipped Withmeans both to control the pull of the gripper and to control theauxiliary positioningmeans.

Again ive have found that the path of operative movement of auxiliarypositioning means which moves to and from the shoe when in operationfrequently requires to be displaced Without varying the extent o-f itsmovement, 'and it is a further object-of the invention to provide readymeans -for securing this result. a

lilith the above and other objects in view, one important feature of theinvention consists in auxiliary positioning means movable, whenin'operation, toward and from Cil the shoe in time relation to theoperation of the machine and means arranged for operation during workupon a shoe to move said positioning means into an inoperative position,said position being farther' from the shoe than the most remoteposit-ion which the said positioning means assumes when in operation.

Another feature of the invention comprises, in a machine. of the typereferred to, a unitary control for the gripper and auX- iliarypositioning` means to control these devices relatively to the stitchinginstrumentalities.

Still another feature of the invention consists in means arranged forconvenient adjustment by the operator during operation of the machinefor varying the initial position of the positioning' means withoutaffecting the extent of its operative movement. Preferably and asdisclosed, means is provided for indicating audibly the amount ofadjustment being produced.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will becomefully evident to those skilled in the art from a consideration of apreferred construction according to the invention, which. is applied toa machine as described in the above mentioned patents and the novelparts of which are shown in the accompanying drawings in which,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation7 partly in section, Yof a machine havingembodied therein the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the mechanism for operating the auxiliarypositioning means takenv from the side opposite to that of Fig. 1; and

Figs. 3 and 4 are details of mechanism shown in Fig. 1.

rEhe machine in general organization is similarI to that disclosed inthe patents above mentioned comprising a work rest l arranged to enterthe angle between the side ofthe last and the projecting sole margin. ofan inverted stitch-down shoe. The upper of the shoe lies against therest 1 and the margin of the upper which projects beyond the sole isseized by a gripper' 3 and tensioned outwardly` the movement of thegripper being effected by a lever 5 operated by a cam 7 on a` shaft 9.rllhe sewing mechanism by `which the upper and sole are securedtogetherl in the angle between the side of the shoe and the outturnedflange of upper comprises the usual presserfoot rand curved awl andneedle mechanism similar to that disclosed in United States LettersPatent No. 473,870 granted April 2G, 1892, on application of French andMeyer.

The auxiliary positioning means 2 is fast on an arm 4 of a bell cra klever pivoted at 5 to the machine frame, The other arm (i of the leveris forked to receive the end of a lilik .8 Connected thereto by a pivotpill l() Lea-reso having an eccentric portion 12, an adjusting lingerpiece 14 fast to it, and a head 16. The head 16 has a series ofperipheral recesses into any one of which a spring-pressed plunger 18may snap as-the pin is rotated by the finger' piece 14. The plunger 15is housed in the lever (i and locks the head 1G in adjusted position,there being pins 2O in the head the ends of which project from the headto act as means to limit, by engagement with the lever, the rotation ofthe h ald in either direction. By rotating the eccentric portion 12 bymeans of the finger piece 14 the operator can immediately adjust theactive position of the auxiliary positioningl means 2 about the pivot 5of the lever' without varying the extent of its movement, and theclicking engagement of the plunger with the recesses acts audibly toindicate to him what amount of adjustment he is producing.

The rear end of the link 8 is pivoted at 21 to the upper end of a lever22 pivoted at 24 to an arm 25 formed on the upper side of the hub of alever 27 which constitutes part of the thread measuring mechanism of thesewing machine which is similar' to that disclosed in the abovementioned Patent No. 473,870, the lever 27 having a rocking movement ona shaft 29. Between its ends the lever 22 has pivoted to it at 23 alatch bar 26 urged downwardly by a spring 2S connected at its ends tothe bar and to a bracket 30 secured to the frame. Pivoted to the bracketat 32 is a lever 34 having` a cam end 35 against which a cam roll 36 onthe pivot 21 at the upper end of the lever 22 is held by a spring 38connecting the pivot 2l with the bracket 30. The lever 34 has pivoted toit the ripper end of a bar 40 pivoted its lower end to an operating arm44 and having a pin 42 arranged to engage the latch bar 26. l'lilhen theoperating arm 44 is so positioned that the roll 36 is resting againstthe low portion of the cam end 35 of the lever 34 the trip pin 42 holdsthe latch bar raised so that its end is above a plate 4G secured to thebracket and consequently the auxiliary positioning means 2 is raised outof its active path. Under these conditions the lever 22 is oscillatingidly by movement; of the arm 25 as the stretching progresses and thepivot 21 constitutes the fulcrum of the lever. Then it is desired to putthe auxiliary positioning means into action they operating arm 44 islowered so that the bar 40 is depressed, withdrawing the trip pin 42 onthe bar 40 from the latch bar 2G, lowering the lever 34 and forcing theupper end of the lever 22 forwardly to position the, auxiliarypositioning means 2 at the highest point in its active path. At the sametime or as soon as the lower end of the lever 22, by rocking on the camend of the lever 34, has advanced far enough to permit it, the latch.bar 2G snaps Adown in front llt) `high part o'l' the cam lend ot thelever 3a has passed from behind the roll 36 and the trippin `bears onthe latch `bar 26, act to litt the latch bai' and permit the spring tore-aet and render the auxiliary positioning means inactive.

The operating arm issecured to one end ot ay `roclrshai't 5() totheotherend of which `is secured a second arm haviiig thereon a rollwhicliengages: a cam slot ii'oriiied in a plate 5S which isar-ranged tobe moved up and ldovqn.lthii'ough connections to a linee levertiO Whichare similar tofthose described in thelliritish `patent above inentioned.`Surrounding the shaft is .a sleeve arranged to engage-the upper portionet' a slot @8in the plate `58. U @n the sleeve ('32 is an armO connectedby a link 72v to an eccentric positioningineans -l for varying `theposition of the' gripper `3, this mechanisinrliieing similar to thatdisclosediu the liiitish patent above mentioned.

Below tlie'rockshaiit 50 is another roch- `shalt T6 having thereon anai-'in` 78 carrying a roll d() which `engages a lower portion ci .theslot 68. On -the opposite 'end of the roelnihatt TG is an arm 8 2connected to a stop tB-l-iby which the pulling movement ot `thegripper?) is `controlled substantially as explained in` thev patent`ilast above mentioned.

The relative torinsand disposition ot the two cam slots 56, (S8-intheplateV .3S andot the three rolls 54, 66,80 engaging the slots i is suchthat lowering of the -plate from its Vhighest position by moif'einent ofthe knee lever from its extreme position attlie right toward the lettcauses-the inclinedportion foie. the slot 68 at its lower endtol act onthe roll 80 and,.through tlieleveri82,vto move the gripper Astop'i'l`forwardly to limit the pulling movement ofthe gripper. At the sainetime the uppermost inclinedportion ot the slot 68 acts uponthe-roll@ torock the sleeve G2 and, through the arm Wand link 72, to turn theeccentric positioning device 74 so that the gripper is iioved: bodilytoward the slice. rlliis `adjustment, which gives the `gripper ashortrange ot pulling inovementclose to theshoe, istha-t desired when lastingand sewing the `shanlcportion of the shoe, and as `soon it `has ibeeneffected the operator-begins t0 `teelt-he 're- `plate 58 to descendfurther. `however, the roll 66 ,which controls .the

sistance` to further movement et thel knee flever due to a springplungerfo witlin'hich eccentric positioning device 7a is in the upperverticalportion ot the cani slot (S8 and the roll S0 which controli-sthegripper stop S-l is in an intermediate vertical portion il() 'which liesbetween tivo incliiies of the lower portion oi the slot 653. For a time,therefore, the gripper is unal'l'ected by movement ot-the plate 58. Atthis time, however, the roll 54; on the arm 52 enters and traverses apart of the inclined portion oi the slot all, cau.. ng the arm to movethe link 4;( downwardly and set the auxiliary positioning means intoaction `by releasing the latch 2G and depressing the cammed endet thelever 35. rlhis having beenv effected, the roll SOptftlie gripper stopreaches the. end of the vertical (59. which has an arm-6lcarrying aroll-G6 meansiis unintluencedby nioven'ients ot the lever Sel due toloiveringfot the plate :58 to a position lower than that requiredjustlto bring the highv part ot the cam end ot' thelever B-l intoaction.

lfflaving thns described our invention, what we claim as nen7 and desireto secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesis:

l. In a machine tor operating progressively upon a shoe throughsuccessive cycles, auxiliary positioning n'ieans arranged forinoven'icnt into and out oit operative position, means loractuating the`ausiliary posi.- tioning means when in operative position towardand-fromthe shoe in each cycle, and means under control oi'ithc operatorduring operation ot the `machinetor moving the :auxiliary positioninginea-ns to its inopera- Vmeans for moving the auxiliary positioningmeans out ot operative position a distance substantially more than thedistance through which it moves when in operative position.

3. In a machine for insert-ing fastenings through the edge extension ofa shoe, the combination of auxiliary positioning means movable into andout ot operative position, means for operating the auxiliary positioningmeans when in operative position through a short path to permit the shoeto be fed when operating upon the forepart and to prevent substantialtipping of the shoe, and means operable when operating on the shank tomove the said positioning means to its inoperative position and beyondits path of operative movement to enable the shoe to be tipped.

4. In a machine for sewing through the edge extension of a shoe, thecoinl'iination of positioning means arranged to engage the shoe bottomwhen sewing one part of the slice and prevent tipping of the shoe tocause the stitches to be inserted siibstantially perpendiciilaily to theedge extension, means for effecting a slight iiperative movement of thepositioning means in each cycle to permit feeding of the shoe, and meansoperable when sewing another part of the shoe to move the positioningmeans out of operative position to permit tipping of the shoe to causethe stitches to be inserted at an oblique inclination to the edgeextension.

5. In a machine of the class described, a positioning device arranged toengage the shoe bottom, means for effecting a predeteriniiied operativemovement ot said device toward and from the shoe, and means arrangedbetween the device and its operating means manually operable when themachine is in operation to vary the position of said device relativelyto its operating means, the extent of its operating movement remainingunchanged.

G. In a n'iachine of the class described, a positioning device arrangedto engage the shoe bottom, means for effecting a predetermined operativemovement of said device toward and from the shoe, and means comprisingan eccentric and a hand lever for varying the position of said devicerelatively to the shoe without altering the extent of its operativemovement.

7. In a machine of the class described, a positioning device ar anged toengage the shoe bottom, means for efl'eeting an operative movement ofsaid device toward and from the shoe, and means for varying the positionof said device relatively to the shoe in the direction of its operativemovement while the extent of its operative movement remains unchangedincluding a hand lever and means for aiidibly indicating to the operatorthe amount the lever is turned in either direction when the position ofsaidv shoe bottom, means for effecting an operative movement of saiddevice toward and from the slice, and means for varying tht` position ofsaid device relatively to the shoe while the extent of its operativemovement remains unchanged comprising an eccentric, a hand leverconnected thereto and means for audibly indicating to the operator vtheamount the eccentric is turned.

9. In a machine for lasting and sewing stitchdown shoes, the combinationof posi tioning means for a shoe, a gripper, auxiliary positioning meansarranged over the shoe bottom and movable when in operative position topermit feeding movements ol' the shoe and movable out of operativeposition to permit tipping of the shoe, means' for controlling operationof the gripper, and a unitary means for effecting during opei'atioii ofthe machine movement of the auxiliary positioning means into and out ofoperative position and movement of said gripper controlling means.

l0. In a machine for lasting and sewing stitchdoivn shoes, thecombination of positioning means for a shoe, a gripper, auxiliarypositioning means arranged over the shoe bottom and movable when inoperative position to permit feeding movements of the shoe and movableout of operative position to permit tipping of the shoe, means forcontrolling operation of the gripper, and a single member movable by theoperator first to render the gripper active, then to i'ender theauxiliary positioning means active and then to control the amount ofgripper action in excess of that existing prior to the coming intoaction of the auxiliary positioning means.

11. In a machine for lasting and sewing stitclidown shoes, thecombination of sewing instrumcntalities, a lasting gripper, positioningmeans, means for varying the pulling movement of the gripper, auxiliarypositioning means movable into and out of operative position, means forvarying the initial position of the gripper, and means for varying thepulling movement of the gripper.

12. In a machine for lasting and sewing stitchdown shoes, thecombination of sewing instrumentalities, a lasting gripper, positioningmeans, means for varying the pulling movement of the gripper, auxiliarypositioning means movable into and out of operative position, means forvarying the initial position of the gripper, means for varying thepulling movement of the gripper, and means undei' the operators controlfor simultaneously effecting the gripper adjustments and subsequentlyeffecting movcment of the auxiliary positioning means into operativeposition.

13. In a machine of the class described, the combination ofi means foroperating lll() progressively about the periphery of a shoe, a devicearranged to engage the shoe, a lever having connection to said device,power means for oscillating the lever, a knee control, and connectionsfrom said knee control to said lever to cause the said device Vfirst tobe moved into operative position and then to provide an effectivefulcrnm for the lever to cause said device to be operated toward andfrom the shoe.

14. In a machine of the class described, the combination of means foroperating progressively about the periphery of a shoe including an upperpulling gripper, a positioningl device arranged to engage the shoe, apower operated lever having connection to said device, a knee control,and connections rom said knee control to said lever and to the gripperto cause the positioning 20 device first to be moved into operativeposiA tion, then to be operated toward and from the shoe and then tovary the pulling action of the gripper.

15. In a machine of the class described, the combination of means foroperating progressively about the periphery oit' a shoe including anupper pulling gripper, a device arranged to engage the shoe, power meansfor operating the device,'a knee lever, a slotted plate movable by theknee lever, and connections from said plate to said device to causemovement of the plate lirst to move the device into operative position,then to cause the device to be operated toward and Yfrom the shoe andthen to effect adjustment oi the gripper.

In testimony whereof We have signed our names to this specification.

FRED HICKS. REGINALD BOYD IVOODCOCK.

